Aloria
The Democratic Republic of Aloria (commonly referred to as Aloria) is a federal constitutional republic comprising five states and a federal district. The country is situated in Northwestern Artania, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Dorvik to the northeast, Kirlawa in the east. Dundorf in the southeast and Rutania to the south. The blue waters of the Verranderlijke Ocean form the western borders. The nation was founded as a monarchy in the 14th century, occupying the most of current Aloria., which lasted until a revolution in 2099 wich overtrew the monarchy and established a democratic republic. On June 26, 2100 the Alorian Constitution was installed. Aloria is best known for it's large devolution and famous federal system. It was the first country in the world with a far going devolved federal system. Aloria is also one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. Etymology Aloria is named after Caius Alorius, a Selucian conqueror leader who unified the coastal areas of Aloria under one rule. Although the empire was officially named the Holy Empire, many people reffered to it as the Holy Alorian Empire or Alorian Empire, because it was ruled for several hundred years by the Alorius dynasty (descendants from Caius Alorius). Even the area surrounding the Empire, a loose confederacy of duchies, were known as Aloria by outsiders. This led Charles I, the first to unite most of modern Aloria, to call his kingdom Aloria. Geography ]] Aloria occupies Antaria's northwest corner. On Aloria's northeastern border is Dorvik; on its eastern border is Kirlawa; on its southeastern border is Dundorf; and along its southern border is Rutania. The Verranderlijke Ocean orms Aloria's northern and western coast. Aloria has five states: Kurmal in the east, Gavonshire in the southcentral area, Ultran in the northwest, Sildar in the west and Krentori in the southwest. Physiographic divisions Aloria has a varied topography. A broad, flat coastal plain lines the Verranderlijke Ocean shores from the Alorian-Rutanian border to Ultran City, and includes the Sildar peninsula. Areas further inland feature rolling hills and temperate forests, most notably Sildar Forest. The Yellow Mountains form a line of low mountains separating the western seaboard from the Midwest. Western Aloria contain subtropical forests and, near the Krentori River Delta, mangrove wetlands, especially in Krentori. Along the coast of the Sildarian Penisula is a series of low mountain ranges known as the Sildarian Coast Ranges. Much of the Alorian Northeast coast is inhabited by some of the densest vegetation, as well as some very vertile valleys. East of the Yellow Mountains and the Kaunlaran River lies the Great Plains, also known as the Midwest. The Midwest, between the Kaunlaran River, Krentori River and Ultran River, consist largely of rolling hills and productive farmland. A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in the Great Plains. Before their general conversion to farmland, the Great Plains were noted for their extensive grasslands, from tallgrass prairie in the western plains to shortgrass steppe in the eastern plains. Elevation rises gradually from less than a few hundred feet near the Kaunlaran River to more than a mile high in the east near the Verita River. The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the Kurmal Mountains. The Kurmal Mountains form a large portion of Eastern Aloria, entering from Dorvik and stretching to Dundorf. The Kurmal Mountains are a high, rugged, and dense mountain range. It contains the highest point of the country, Mount Belmore,(14,505 ft; 4,421 m). Climate Due to its northern location, Aloria has mostly a Humid Continental climate. Its comparatively generous climate contributed (in part) to the country's rise as an economic power, with infrequent severe drought in the major agricultural regions, a general lack of widespread flooding, and a mainly temperate climate that receives adequate precipitation. The main influence on Alorian weather is the polar jet stream, which brings in large low pressure systems from the northern Verranderlijke Ocean. The Sildar Coastal Range and Yellow Mountains pick up most of the moisture from these systems as they move eastward. Greatly diminished by the time they reach the Great Plains, much of the moisture has been sapped by the orographic effect as it is forced over several mountain ranges. However, once it moves over the Great Plains, uninterrupted flat land allows it to reorganize and can lead to major clashes of air masses. In addition, moisture from the Krentori River Delta is often drawn northward. When combined with a powerful jet stream, this can lead to violent thunderstorms, especially during spring and summer. Sometimes during late winter and spring these storms can combine with another low pressure system as they move up the North Coast and into the Verranderlijke Ocean, where they intensify rapidly. These storms often bring widespread, heavy snowfall in Ultran. The uninterrupted flat grasslands of the Ultran Plains also leads to some of the most extreme climate swings in the world. Temperatures can rise or drop rapidly and winds can be extreme, and the flow of heat waves or Arctic air masses often advance uninterrupted through the plains. History main article: History of Aloria Politics ]] The Democratic Republic of Aloria is a constitutional federal republic, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law." It is fundamentally structured as a representative democracy. The politics of Aloria take place in a framework of a parliamentary, democratic republic, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised collectively by President and the Cabinet, which is led by the President. Legislative power is vested in parliament - the National Congress - primarily, and secondarily on the Cabinet. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative. Aloria has been a democratic republic since 1 January 2099, when the monarchy was abolished. The constitution was promulgated on 26 June 2100. Government The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the Alorian Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document and as a social contract for the Alorian people. In the Alorian federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and local. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by State. Every four year, there are elections for the State and Federal parliaments. The voting results from the State elections are used to determine the number of seats in Federal Parliament. The President is also elected every four year. The President shall be elected using a two round system. A primary round of electionshall be held to select the two candidates for the second round. Alorian Presidents can be re-elected as many times as they want, their s no restriction for a presidential term. Federal Government The President is the Head of State of the Democratic Republic of Aloria. He represents the Nation, guarantee its independence and see to it that the Constitution is observed. The Prime Minister chairs the cabinet, and is the official Head of Government(although the office shares this power with the President). The President shall be elected for a term of office of four years (48 months). The President performs all executive functions in defense and foreign affairs--i.e., functions requiring prompt, decisive action. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. see also: List of Presidents of Aloria The federal government is composed of three branches: *Legislative: The unicameral National Congress makes federal law, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government. *Executive: The executive branch is a semi-presidential system with executive powers shared by the PResident and the Prime Minister.The president is the commander-in-chief of the military and appoints the Cabinet and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies. The Prime Minister chairs the cabinet. *Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal State courts, whose judges are appointed by the president with Congressional approval, appoints, interpret laws, and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional. State Government Most of the states are governed by an executive office led by a Minister-President, together with a unicameral legislative body that has a different name for each state. The states are republics with their own legislature, and the relationship between their legislative and executive branches mirrors that of the federal system: the legislatures are popularly elected for four years (and elections are hold together with the federal and presidential elections, and the Minister-President is then chosen by a majority vote among the State Parliament's members (he is commonly from the largest political party in the State). The Minister-President appoints a cabinet to run the state's agencies and to carry out the executive duties of the state's government. see also: List of Minister-Presidents of the States of Aloria Political Parties and the National Congress Traditionally, Aloria has a trend toward two large coalitions: one on the center-right (Conservative Coalition) and the other on the center-left (Progressive Coalition). The Communist Party of Aloria however, is not a member of either, although a definite Progressive bent is evident. Listed below are the active political parties in Aloria and their respective share of seats in Congress as of August, 2727, arranged by seat share largest to smallest: The Alorian Cabinet See also: Alorian Cabinet The Alorian Cabinet is composed of 12 ministries. It is chaired by the President. 1. President of the Democratic Republic of Aloria 2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs 3. Ministry of Internal Affairs 4. Ministry of Finance 5. Ministry of Defense 6. Ministry of Justice 7. Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport 8. Ministry of Health and Social Services 9. Ministry of Education and Culture 10. Ministry of Science and Technology 11. Ministry of Food and Agriculture 12. Ministry of Environment and Tourism 13. Ministry of Trade and Industry Demographics Largest cities of Aloria: *Ultran City (22,678,056 inhabitants) *Concordia (18,567,312 inhabitants) *Verita (15,913,877 inhabitants) *Sildar City (14,810,012 inhabitants) *Port Aloria (14,241,750 inhabitants) *Port Liberty (12,996,321 inhabitants) *Libertia (10,563,028 inhabitants) *Pax (9,145,051 inhabitants) *Ceres (9,028,066 inhabitants) *Calliope (8,976,434 inhabitants) *Mansfield (6,578,250 inhabitants) Population The most populous areas are in the north and east. The northern region consists of the largest and most populated cities in the country. 25% of the population lives in the province of Ultran. The highest population is concentrated around the cities of Ultran and Port Liberty, which is one of the largest towns in the country. The province of Kurmal, the largest province of Aloria, is also very highly populated, although most of the population is concentrated in the southern part of the region, while the Kurmal Mountain area is mostly populated by small mining cities. In Gavonshire, Sildar and Krentori the most populated areas are only concentrated in and around the large cities. Origin Alorians are a mix of natives known collectively as Alorian Indians (mostly Vetari and Concordia Indians), and settlers from Dorvik and Kirlawa settled in the Kurmal mountains and a small amount of liberal Jews from Quanzar looking for a new life settled down on the Krentori coast in the 3rd century BC. These people were, and still are, considered as the native population of Aloria. During the 9th century, white explorers and pilgrims, mostly people exiled from Selucia, who traveled up the Artanian west coast settled down on the Sildar peninsula. More then a thousand years later this resulted in a mixed white and native Alorian race. Today, they form the majority of the population, while the native-Alorians were reduced to less then 5% of the population. From the 21st Century on, immigrants from other parts of the world came to Aloria, mostly from Quanzar, Cildania and Darnussia. Those immigrants still form a minority in Aloria, but their cultural influences are very effective on today's society. Ethnicity The two main ethnic groups of Aloria are Latin-Alorians who mainly speak Alorian and are descended from Selucian conqueror pilgrims that mainly live in Northern Sildar and the Krentori Delta that make up about 30% of the Alorian population and Anglo-Alorians that speak English, are a mix of Alorian Indian and Dundorfian settlers, and comprise about 45% of Alorians. These two peoples who frequently mix comprise the bulk of the Alorian culture and are considered collectively to be "Alorian". About 6% of Alorians are the aboriginal Alorian Indians, further separated into the Native Kurmalian and Uwakah subgroups, who mainly live in Kurmal as blue collar workers and a few, about one percent, speak Kurmali. Another race is the Black peoples that comprise 7% of the Alorian people who are descended from the men and women imported from abroad and traded and sold as slaves by the upper class starting in the 1600s up until the early 1800s; they were used as servants like maids and butlers, and never did find much widespread use as hard laborers. Around one percent of Alorians still identify themselves as "Makans" and generally practice orthodox Judaism, and tracing back their lineage they are a Semitic people who migrated from Quanzar. All other people are immigrants of varying ethnicity including Istalians, Hulstrians, and Majatrans. Language English is the official language in Aloria, and is spoken by almost 75% of the population. English in Aloria is notable for its Alorian dialect, or the Alorian slang, which is most common in the rural areas of the country. 23% of Alorians, mostly in the Krentori Delta area and Northern Sildar speak Alorian, a Romance language with Artanian influences directly descended from Romance languages such as Selucian imported through colonization. Small minorities of Alorian Indians in the east still maintain their native language, which is called Kurmali. Generally those who speak minority languages as a first language also speak English as a second language. Religion The official church of Aloria is the Alorian Christian Church, which is voluntary. The largest religious group of the Alorians are Alorian Christians(about 45% of the population), while other Chrisitan groups are Lutherans and other Protestants(15%) and Catholics(10%, mostly Selucian Catholic). Foreign missionaries brought Early Christian influences to Aloria, and many of them built monasteries high in the Kurmal Mountains that still stand today. A second strand of influence came from the many immigrants moving into Aloria late in the 21st Century. Three Protestant movements started Aloria: Quakerism which comprises 2.5% of the Alorian population, Baptist doctrine that has about 1.5% support in Aloria, and the Alorian Christian Church. About 11% of Alorians are Protestant Lutherans. The Christian Archbishop is the highest Christian religious leader in the country and leader of the Alorian Christian Church. Aloria's native religion is Bogism, which comprises 12% of Aloria's population and finds a very devout following in the Alorian Indians which comprise a little under half of it's following. Aloria's second largest minority religion is Judaism. The religion found support among about 8% of the population. Libertia and Sildar City have the largest Jewish pockets. The third largest minority religion in Aloria is Islam (6% of the population). Islamic followers immigrated to Aloria mainly in the early-22nd Century. They are mostly concentrated in harbor cities as Port Libertia, Port Aloria and Ceres. About 4% of Alorians are either Agnostic, Atheist, or unaffiliated. Economy Aloria has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. The private sector constitutes the bulk of the economy, with government activity accounting for 11,85% of GDP. Aloria was, before the occupation by the New World Order, one of the leading economic forces in Artania. After the war, the economy declined dramatically, with Aloria losing their major position in the world economy. Since the Reconstruction it has rebounded to an extent, thanks to its friendly climate for progress and generally stable environment. The most important export-products are agricultural goods like wheat, corn and beef, mining products like steel, copper and bauxite, and technological products like computers, cars, biochemics, oil and aerospace products. Tourism and entertainment have also an important revenue, as Aloria is well known for his famous movie industry and as the birthplace of Rock and Roll. Agriculture Aloria is one of the world's major agricultural producers, ranking fifth worldwide in production of wheat, corn and beef. In 2705, agricultural output accounted nearly one third of all exports. Wheat and corn are major export commodities at 25% of the total. Cattle-raising is a major industry. Beef and other meats are some of the most important agricultural export products of Aloria. Beef, leather and dairy were 32% of total exports, making it Aloria's most profitable export product. Nearly 5 million tonnes of meats (not including seafood) are produced in Aloria, long the world's leading beef consumer on a per capita basis. Beef accounts for 3.2 million tonnes. Sheep-raising and wool are also important in Aloria, though mostly for domestic consumption. Fruits and vegetables made up 4% of exports: apples, pears and grapes in the Sildarian Central Valley and in Gavonshire, but are mostly grown for domestic consumption. Aloria is Artania's fourth-largest wine producer, and fine wine production has taken major leaps in quality. A growing export, total viticulture potential is far from having been met. Logging and mining Forestry has long history in every Alorian region but Sildar, accounting for almost 14 million m3 of roundwood harvests; elm for cellulose, pine and eucalyptus for furniture, as well as for paper products (1.5 million tons) are all widely harvested. Logging accounts for 2% of exports. Another lucrative business in Aloria is the mining industry, wich is concentrated mostly in the east of the country, in the mountainious area of Kurmal, were lots of iron, copper and bauxite are found. Mining continues to be important to Aloria’s economy. Natural gas has supplanted iron, copper and bauxite as the country’s most valuable natural commodity. Aloria has the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world. The government has a long-term sales-agreement to sell natural gas to Rutania through 2798. Industry Alorian manufacturing is highly diversified and technologically advanced. Main industries are steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, consumer goods, lumber, mining. Aloria has been one of the leading nations in scientific research and technological innovation since the late 24th century. Today, the bulk of research and development funding, 64%, comes from the private sector. Aloria leads the world in scientific research papers and impact factor. The San Antoniio Valley, more known as 'Tech Valley', is the worlds most highly developed scientific area. Alorians possess high levels of technological consumer goods, and almost half of Alorian households have broadband Internet access. Manufacturing is the nation's second largest sector in the economy (21.5% of GDP in 2705). Nearly half the nation's industries are in and around Libertia, though Ceres and Ultran are also home to significant industrial centers. Libertia and the surrounding region constitute a major manufacturing center, most notably as home to the automobile companies Fjord Motor Company and Luxor Motors. The Libertia and Pax area are accustomed to the economic cycles of the auto industry. A rise in automated manufacturing using robot technology, inexpensive labor in other parts of the world, and increased competition have led to a steady transformation of certain types of manufacturing jobs in the region. Alorian cars are some of the most advanced in the world, with Fjord Motor Company at the forefront. The Alorian steel and mining industry makes cars in Aloria cheap to build, as they are close to raw materials. The metropolitan area in and around Libertia forms the commercial heart of the country. The chain of large cities homes many mighty, worldwide companies like Rockygroup, Fjord Motor Company, Carlton Enterprises and International Steel. One anomaly in the current economy is the concentration of wealth, Rockygroup Incorporated currently controls eight percent of Aloria's wealth and growing, therefor being one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world. Energy Aloria is energy self-sufficient for the most part. The country’s energy needs are relatively small but growing consistently. Aloria uses natural gas for the majority of its power needs, followed by hydroelectricity. The country has large reserves of both. Aloria has estimated natural gas reserves total 27.6 trillion cubic feet (780 km3), ranking Aloria fourth in terms of proven natural gas reserves in the world. Aloria’s crude natural gas deposits are located in six geological basins along the Northern coast and in the Sildarian central valleys. Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of Aloria's electricity generation. The states of Sildar and Krentori are the largest hydroelectric power producers in Aloria, and with adequate rainfall, hydroelectric power typically accounts for close to one-fifth of nation's electricity generation. Substantial geothermal and wind power resources are found along the coastal mountain ranges and the Midwest. Tourism and entertainment Tourism is a large industry in Aloria. In winter, the ski resorts of the Kurmal Mountains host skiers from around the globe. The many ski resorts form an upscale tourist center. In the summer, many tourists visit the summer camps in the iddylic scenery of the Kurmal Mountains and the Palisade Hills in Gavonshire.Trout fishing, lake fishing and hiking draw outdoor enthusiasts to eastern Aloria. The Sildar Beach movie industry is one of the leading makers of movies and television shows in the English speaking world, and has made many well known and classic movies, as well the home of many famous record companies. Corporations Corporations are the main power in the Alorian economy. Here is a list of the five most profitable Alorian businesses: Education main article: Education in Aloria The education system in the Democratic Republic of Aloria is composed of elementary education (6 years), secondary education (4 years), and tertiary or college education. The system was adopted from the Elementary and Secondary Curriculum Proposal of 2694 and the Elementary and Secondary Level System Act of 2694, which was initiated by Jess Paul, then Minister of Education and Culture. Culture As one of the oldest democracies on Artania, and one of the oldest nations in general, Aloria has a long cultural lineage that dates back to the time of the Kurmalian Clan Society, the Holy Alorian Empire, and into the modern age. Alorian culture has been exported, mostly through movies and music, all around Terra to many English(and non-English) speaking countries. Aloria is best known for pioneering in motion pictures, and developing the now global phenomenon of Rock and Roll music. Literature Alorian literature, unlike its counterparts in movies and television, is relatively a domestic art. Alorian writers have written about everything from philosophy to everyday life and continue to do so. Some important Alorian writers include Gary Demonchio the great horror writer of the 19th Century, Emily Peterson who is widely considered the best Alorian writer in history, and Otis Henderson one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. Since then, Alorian literature has declined in outside popularity but has stayed strong on the domestic market where it mixes with literature from other nations. Movie and Television The Alorian movie and television industry centered in Sildar Beach is one of the most famous in the world. Famous stars like Derrick Dean and Samuel Sun have been actors in the industry. Animated characters like Morton Mouse and Bernard Bunny have also gained prominence throughout the world through the export of Alorian media. Entertainment media, chiefly movies, is one of Aloria's top five exports. Visual Arts Selucian inspired sculpture and other art prevailed all up until the late 1800s. Expressionism gained hold in Aloria, and many famous artists of that era were painters of Alorian origin. Music Aloria has many different styles of music influenced by the diverse cultures that settled in Aloria. In the early days of Aloria's history all up until the modern times Aloria generally had music similar to its neighbors, and contributed to Northern Artanian music with great composers such as Johan Burkson and Felix Alorius Mosby. It wasn't until the late 1800s and early 1900s that Aloria developed its own styles of music that are now found everywhere: Blues, country, and folk music. Country music flourished in the Ultran plains where people were plainspoken, blues sprouted up in the Krentori Delta where black laborers worked for substandard wages, and folk music gain popularity by the miners in the Kurmal mountains. Once the 1950's came along, and along with it mass media and widespread communication, did these different music genres meld into one kind of music: Rock and Roll. Famous rockers like Elvis Preston and Chuck Smith rocketed the new music into the mainstream and it has been popular with people all across the world ever since. Cuisine Theater Aloria has a long tradition of Theater stretching back to the Monarchy. Early Alorian Drama consisted mainly of morality plays written by monks. The most famous of these plays and one of the few of which a complete script has survived through the ages is "The King, The Holyman and The Peasant". The play in short tells the story of the individual lives of a King, a Priest and a Farmer and how they occasionally cross paths. The play asks the question which of them is more devout in their lives. The answer is given by the Monk as the farmer as the Priest and the King are both depicted as greedy men who use their position to gain money for themselves. Seen as a critic of the wealth accumulated by the early Alorian church. Aloria missed out during the period when most nations had their dramatic renaissance. Due to the Political turmoil that effected early Alorian history. Although this has set the tone for the Theatrical scene in Aloria. During this period most plays written in Aloria were of a political nature telling the story of various coups and uprisings as well as producing critics of various new leaders. This tendency has survived and to this day most Alroian Theater is of a political or topical nature. Very few great love stories or emotional dramas have been produced by the Alorian playwrite. Aloria came let to its great and lasting playwrite. The most famous writer in alorian dramatic history is Jonathan Asheton. A 26th century Alorian playwrite and humanist. Considered to be the greatest stage writer Aloria has ever produced and one of the best in Terra. His plays were popular but became more so after his death as during his lifetime he was considered a controversial figure. Asheton was a very vocal activist in the religious resurgence of the 26th century and his most famous play depicts a homosexual love story where the young couple eventually kill themselves because of religious persecution. Popular Culture Landmarks Presidential Palace Peach Orchard Executive Mansion Senate Building National Congress Building Lambrecht Office Complex Old Executive Office Building Alorian Trade Center Antarian River High Temple of Bog Kurmal Mountains Sildar Beach Category:Artania